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Firm files complaint again school district

The Lake Oswego School District breached the terms of contract and implied warranty during the construction of the new Lake Oswego High School, according to a complaint filed by the company that built it.

The Hillsboro-based Robinson Construction Company and its sub-contractor, Puget Sound Iron Works, Inc., of Amanda Park, Wash., filed the $3.1 million lawsuit June 1 in Multnomah County.

The companies say the district was required to provide contract drawings to Puget Sound Iron Works so designers could create drawings of steel detailing before starting the fabrication process.

The companies allege that the district instead provided 'deficient drawings' and ignored requests for information relating to those problems.

According to the complaint, the district's negligence caused an 18-month delay and left the companies to pay additional expenses related to the drawings.

The district has 30 days to file a response.

'We disagree … we think we have meritorious defenses against the claim,' said Stuart Ketzler, the district's director of finance.

The district contracted with the architectural firm, LSW Architects, for the LOHS project. As part of its agreement, LSW was required to issue drawings to Puget Sound Iron Works.

According to Superintendent Bill Korach, the companies are asking for compensation from the district while LSW is the party that neglected to fulfill the terms of contract.

'This is something that's been pending for a long time,' Korach said. 'We have tried to resolve it through mediation but that has not been successful, so this is the next step.'

The LOHS project, which was under construction for about two years and cost $30.5 million, opened on schedule in 2005.

The Lakeridge High School renovation project, however, caused the most financial woes.

Additional costs related to the project pushed the overall bond approximately $2.6 million over budget and doubled the cost of the original price tag.

In summer 2004, Lakeridge's electrical subcontractor filed a $1.5 million claim against the district for additional expenses incurred as a result of deficient drawings by LSW. The district settled out of court for $225,000, according to Ketzler.

The district put a pending claim against LSW on hold for now as officials consider how to approach the LOHS-related lawsuit, he added.